Ushuaia, The end of the world

Ushuaia located at the southern reaches of Argentina on the island of Tierra del Fuego, often is referred to as, “The End of the World.” It’s arguably the world’s southernmost city as well as the port of call for trips to Antarctica. For many travelers to Patagonia, Ushuaia is a favorite destination with an adventurous feel and great access to the outdoors. The history of Ushuaia is unusual. It served as the location of a prison for Argentina’s dangerous criminals and repeat offenders.Ushuaia’s surroundings are beautiful, situated along the Beagle Channel beneath the Martial Mountains. Tierra del Fuego National Park and many great hiking trails are within close proximity. Cruise ships and Antarctica departures support a number of good restaurants and shops. And Ushuaia has a handful of museums worth visiting, including the Museo Marítimo y Presidio de Ushuaia and Yamana Museum.

Walking with the penguins on Martillo Island

A day trip with penguins on Martillo island makes you an awesome start to a wider itinerary and giving the great views of the region’s dramatic landscape on a short boat ride across the Beagle Channel to Martillo Island. Pira tour is now the only tour operator that can actually get you onto the island to walk with the penguins.

Along the way you will enjoy beautiful and colourful landscapes typical of the region along the Ruta 3 from Ushuaia to the legendary Harberton Farm. And take a 15 minute boat ride to Martillo Island on Beagle Channel. Martillo Island is home to an incredible colony of Gentoo and Magellanics penguins between September and April. The rookery hosts around 1000 nests, and is one of the three Magellanic penguin rookeries in Tierra del Fuego. There is also a small colony of 9 breeding couples of gentoo penguins (Pygocelis Papua), the only one in South America. On the way you’ll see Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse is located Isla de los Estados Island. It´s truly an unique experience!

Sailing Trails in Los Glaciares National Park

Los Glaciares National Park is located in the area known as Austral Andes in Argentina, in the south west of Santa Cruz on the border with Chile. This Grand National Park boasts a series of, lakes, mountains, glaciers and woods. A large portion of the western side of the park is basically under ice and snow and to the east we find the arid Patagonian steppe.

On the southern area of the Park, the most famous glacier can be seen is Perito Moreno. The 250 km2 (97 sq mi) ice formation, and 30 km (19 mi) in length, is one of 48 glaciers fed by the Southern Patagonian Ice Field located in the Andes system shared with Chile. This ice field is the world’s third largest reserve of fresh water. Due to its size and accessibility, Perito Moreno is one of the major tourist attractions in southern Patagonia. It is less than two hours by our Jeeps from El Calafate. A large visitor center at the site features a walking circuit which allows visitors to view the southern flank and the east facing edge of the glacier.

El Chalten Trekking to Lago do los Tres

El Chalten is the hiking hub of the Los Glaciares National Park, home of the magnificent Fitz Roy Massif and more glaciers than any other region of Patagonia. These routes take 8-9 hours and mean you can come back to comfortable hotels in El Chalten at the end of each day. Many are well enough marked to be walked independently, but a guide will bring a wealth of knowledge about the history, culture and geography of the region to your trip.

The culmination of Lago do tos Tres 22 km, 7 to 9 hour route is arguably the best viewpoint in the national park, as the name refers to the peaks of Cerros Fitz Roy, Poincenot and Torre, all of which can be seen in the magnificent 360 degree views from the shores of the lake. The trek starts out on a forest path looking out to the Piedras Blancas glacier, before a steep 800m ascent to the laguna itself, which makes a great lunch stop, and a return to El Chalten past the wonderful Laguna Capri with views to the massif.

Tip – Learning how much water you need in hiking day. You should plan on carrying about 1 liter for every two hours.